Yum Cha

Not to be confused with Yumchaa, the tea shop with two branches in Camden, Yum Cha Silks & Spice is a Chinese restaurant near the popular Stables Market. Specialities are dim sum, of which there are seemingly endless options, and the karaoke rooms if you’re that way inclined.

From Monday to Wednesday there’s a 50% offer on dim sum, all of which is made in-house. There’s a vast menu with steamed, grilled, fried, cold and even sweet options. Honey roast pork buns are essentially char sui buns, tasty pork stuffed inside fluffy dough, served in a traditional bamboo basket. Salt and pepper squid, fried in crispy batter and served with sliced chillies is very good, as are the steamed dumplings filled with juicy prawns.

We try a dish of honey roast duck and pork from the main menu, the thin slices of meat are flavoursome and nicely cooked, and the shredded crispy beef is also good, lightly coated in sweet chilli sauce.

On a previous lunchtime visit we tried the cheung fun, deep fried batter made from rice flour, sadly a little on the bland side. The daytime dim sum menu also has a baked mini egg tart, a bit like a custard bun with a squidgy, yolky centre which is very moreish.

They’re less successful at updating their menus, as we’re told the prices for spirits are from last year and have risen by exactly £1. They refuse to budge on this, even after we point out that it’s almost December. It’s the only blemish of an otherwise pleasant meal.